~ A Salt Lake City fashion blog

Salt Lake City Tastemakers – A foodie’s dream come true

The weatherman predicted rain. The ominous clouds supported that prediction. I didn’t care. I pulled on some boots, wrapped a scarf around my neck and grabbed my umbrella. A little rain wasn’t about to stop me from heading off to Salt Lake Magazine’s first Tastemakers event.

I love trying new food. I love experiencing new tastes, new cultures and broadening my horizons, so to speak. And I love the way food brings people together. It can be a wonderful bonding tool. There’s nothing like trying new cuisine with friends. So when I heard about Tastemakers event in downtown Salt Lake, I knew I had to check it out.

Despite the drizzly weather, turnout was amazing, selling out the 1000 tickets allotted. It wasn’t a huge event, just a line of small, white tents (awnings, to be exact). Even though it was crowded, the lines moved quickly and everyone was very friendly. The lighthearted chit-chat with perfect strangers evidence that food truly does bring people together. A larger tent housed several small, round table for those who wanted to relax a minute, relish the different tastings and enjoy the live band.

One of my favorite things about this event was the pride on the chefs’ faces as they described the taste being served. It was clear a lot of thought and planning went in to every delicious dish. With only a couple bites to wow people, they al brought their A game. And I, for one, was impressed. It was a great way to see what restaurant offerings Salt Lake has before you commit to a full-on dining experience.

Christopher's - Stuffed Tenderloin of Beef

Squatters - Mussles and Frites

Talisker On Main - Ballard Farms Pork Loin Medallions

Meditrina - Scottish Salmon Crudo (minus the salmon crudo*)

*Funny thing about this taste. The health department didn’t understand that crudo meant raw fish when they OK’d the dish. Unfortunately, Meditrina wasn’t able to get the necessary paperwork in time to serve the salmon on Thursday night when I attended. Nonetheless, this salad that was supposed to accompany the crudo was delicious, so I wasn’t disappointed. I don’t even like fennel! I don’t know how they did it.

You can also see my sister’s dog, Henry, in the above photo. This is probably the first outdoor event downtown that wasn’t swarming with four-legged friends. He seemed to enjoy the attention, when he wasn’t too busy willing everyone to drop a taste.

Martine Cafe & Tapas - Morgan Valley Lamb Kibbe

This was my favorite dish of the evening, followed closely by the Lobster Mac n Cheese from Easy Street (not pictured). The lamb was perfectly cooked and the two sauces created an amazing combination. I’ve been craving another taste ever since.